Table 4. Themes and codes for the fathers’ current involvement in child care activities.

Themes	Codes	Data source	Times mentioned	Illustrative quotes
Child home stimulation	Teaching the child	Mothers FGD	9	“He [the father] talks to him, he shows him how to play” (Mother, FGD 2)
		Fathers FGD	7	“I show him things to develop his mind because little kids cannot stay at home for long” (Father, FGD 3)
	Playing with the child	Mothers FGD	37	“For example, playing soccer or playing homemade dolls or even making the baby dance on the bed” (Mother, FGD 4)
		Fathers FGD	8	“That’s how we all think about the child, so you raise him with love by playing with him” (Father, FGD 3)
General child care activities	Taking care of the child	Mothers FGD	6	“He [the father] changes his clothes” (Mother, FGD 6) “And when the baby is not well then taking care of him or taking to the health center” (Mother, FGD 4)
		Fathers FGD	5	“If they are dirty then you should take responsibility and clean them (Father, FGD 2)
	Spending time with the child	Mothers FGD	8	“They [fathers] can take a walk with the children, for example looking for things the children can play with” (Mother, FGD 7)
		Fathers FGD	2	“For me, I take him [the child] around” (Father, FGD 3)
	Holding the child	Mothers FGD	6	“When I am washing the clothes, I will make him hold the baby” (Mother, FGD 7)
		Fathers FGD	7	“For me too in the evening, I hold the baby, that’s what I do” (Father, FGD 1)
Food preparation and feeding	Cooking and feeding	Mothers FGD	10	“When the food is ready, they can feed the baby” (Mother, FGD 4)
		Fathers FGD	11	“She goes every Thursday to deliver potatoes to go to Antananarivo, so she doesn’t bring the children. Then I have to stay at home with my two boys. So, I prepare their foods and I feed them” (Father, FGD 3) “For example, when the mother is busy, I can prepare the food and feed him” (Father, IDI 1)
Support mothers	Help with household chores	Fathers FGD	10	“The way I help her, for me when it’s the evening like this, there are less things to do, so I go and get groceries and then I come back” (Father, FGD 1)
	Work on agriculture	Fathers FGD	1	“For example, if we plant, we do that together, maybe the women will plant or put the fertilizer, but we sow together, we plant greens together. Also, for example, when we weed the corn, when we have to dig, we do them together, some will put the fertilizer, some will sow” (Father, FGD 3)

FGD: Focus group discussions.

IDI: In-depth interviews with key informants.

CNA: Community nutrition agent.